UPDATED: FWB Police Department loses state accreditation (DOCUMENT)

Published: Friday, June 27, 2014 at 01:05 PM.

The Fort Walton Beach Police Department has lost its state accreditation.

The Commission for Law Enforcement Accreditation voted Wednesday to remove a hard-won designation the city department had initially earned in 2005 and seen renewed in 2008 and 2011.

Commissioners cited seven areas of non-compliance with accreditation standards and acted against the recommendation of an on-site inspection team that had visited the Fort Walton Beach Police Department April 1.

The three-man team had recommended the commission allow the city to keep its accreditation if it agreed to certain conditions, said Lori Mizell, the executive director of Commission for Law Enforcement Accreditation.

The commission, however, “did not feel, based on their review, they could award reaccreditation to Fort Walton Beach,” she said.

Based on conversations with the on-site inspections team, the city officials were expecting to see accreditation renewed, Beedie said.

“To say the least, the decision was unexpected,” he said.

Okaloosa County Sheriff Larry Ashley, who sought in early 2012 to consolidate the Fort Walton Beach Police Department into the Sheriff’s Office, is a voting member on the commission. Walton County Sheriff Michael Adkinson is the chairman.

Both men voted with the rest of the commission against renewing the Fort Walton Beach accreditation.

“The City is highly disappointed in the Commission for Florida Law Enforcement Accreditation’s decision,” Beedie said.

Problem areas

A couple of areas where the Police Department was found to be out of compliance involved a failure to file timely reports with the accreditation commission.

The department defended its failures by citing major staff reductions and turnover in the accreditation manager position.

Kathy Duke was named as the accreditation manager in June of 2013 and the on-site team noted that reports had been maintained and submitted since that time.

Fort Walton Beach was also out of compliance in the areas of volunteer training and “initial and periodic refresher training” in the area of photo and live identification lineups.

Inspectors also pointed to problems in training for employees exposed in their job to hazardous materials.

One example cited was a janitor who came into contact with “blood-related biohazardous-type” material in the Police Department’s lobby and holding areas.

The team also said the Police Department was out of compliance for failing to offer a Hepatitis B vaccination program.

What’s next

The Police Department can reapply at any time to seek reconsideration of its accreditation, Mizell said. The process is complicated, however, as an applicant must prove compliance of some 250 standards.

“We are already working towards reacquiring the accreditation status and hope to achieve it as soon as possible,” Beedie said.

He said there has been no immediate fallout as a result of the Commission vote.

“We have operated using the higher standards since our original accreditation and will continue to do so,” he said in an email. “The citizens of Fort Walton Beach will not notice any difference in the quality of service provided.”

The Fort Walton Beach Police Department has lost its state accreditation.

The Commission for Law Enforcement Accreditation voted Wednesday to remove a hard-won designation the city department had initially earned in 2005 and seen renewed in 2008 and 2011.

Commissioners cited seven areas of non-compliance with accreditation standards and acted against the recommendation of an on-site inspection team that had visited the Fort Walton Beach Police Department April 1.

The three-man team had recommended the commission allow the city to keep its accreditation if it agreed to certain conditions, said Lori Mizell, the executive director of Commission for Law Enforcement Accreditation.

The commission, however, “did not feel, based on their review, they could award reaccreditation to Fort Walton Beach,” she said.

Based on conversations with the on-site inspections team, the city officials were expecting to see accreditation renewed, Beedie said.

“To say the least, the decision was unexpected,” he said.

Okaloosa County Sheriff Larry Ashley, who sought in early 2012 to consolidate the Fort Walton Beach Police Department into the Sheriff’s Office, is a voting member on the commission. Walton County Sheriff Michael Adkinson is the chairman.

Both men voted with the rest of the commission against renewing the Fort Walton Beach accreditation.

“The City is highly disappointed in the Commission for Florida Law Enforcement Accreditation’s decision,” Beedie said.

Problem areas

A couple of areas where the Police Department was found to be out of compliance involved a failure to file timely reports with the accreditation commission.

The department defended its failures by citing major staff reductions and turnover in the accreditation manager position.

Kathy Duke was named as the accreditation manager in June of 2013 and the on-site team noted that reports had been maintained and submitted since that time.

Fort Walton Beach was also out of compliance in the areas of volunteer training and “initial and periodic refresher training” in the area of photo and live identification lineups.

Inspectors also pointed to problems in training for employees exposed in their job to hazardous materials.

One example cited was a janitor who came into contact with “blood-related biohazardous-type” material in the Police Department’s lobby and holding areas.

The team also said the Police Department was out of compliance for failing to offer a Hepatitis B vaccination program.

What’s next

The Police Department can reapply at any time to seek reconsideration of its accreditation, Mizell said. The process is complicated, however, as an applicant must prove compliance of some 250 standards.

“We are already working towards reacquiring the accreditation status and hope to achieve it as soon as possible,” Beedie said.

He said there has been no immediate fallout as a result of the Commission vote.

“We have operated using the higher standards since our original accreditation and will continue to do so,” he said in an email. “The citizens of Fort Walton Beach will not notice any difference in the quality of service provided.”